A new species of Sphaerium Scopoli, 1777, from southern Brazil (Bivalvia: Sphaeriidae)

Abstract

Sphaerium cambaraense new species is described based on samples collected in the beginning of the summer near the headwaters of Taquari River (Jacui River Basin) on the basaltic plateau of southern Brazil. This is the first record for the genus Sphaerium in Brazil and in South America outside the Andes. Sphaerium cambaraense is characterized by a relatively large and solid shell, a high triangular shell outline and a solid hinge plate. Compared with Sphaerium forbesi (Philippi, 1869), S. cambaraense has a more strongly triangular shell outline and beaks not prominent. Sphaerium lauricochae (Philippi, 1869), another similar species from Bolivia, Chile, and Peru, has a more rounded shell outline.